


Lightly, Lifted

by Barkour



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-08
Updated: 2013-02-08
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:50:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/675109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Barkour/pseuds/Barkour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One way it ends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lightly, Lifted

“Wake-up-wake-up-wake-up-wake-up.”

It was raining, Jaime thought; but he smelled fire nearby and smoke too. Someone was brushing his face very quickly, over and over again. 

“Wake-up,” said Bart, “wake-up-wake-up-wake-up-wake-up-wake-up—”

His goggles were smashed. The glass composite had scoured his cheeks, and he was bleeding. Jaime reached to touch Bart’s jaw, the line of it smeared with soot like a new bruise. Bart’s voice hitched.

“It’s me,” said Jaime. “It’s me.”

Bart bent over him. His fingers swept Jaime’s nose, his cheeks, the bare length of his neck. Drowsily, Jaime thought Bart was smiling, but he was crying, too. That was the wetness on Jaime’s face.

“’Course it is,” said Bart. “Who else is it gonna be?”

Jaime petted Bart’s hair, down to the top of his nape. The stars burned, up there in the sky, red-hot like embers falling back to earth through the smoke.

“I can’t feel my legs,” said Jaime. He thought he should care about that but right then, what mattered most of all was the quiet in his head.

“It’s okay,” said Bart, “I’ll carry you.”

“And I think I’m naked,” said Jaime. He closed his eyes again. His head hurt.

“We’ll find something for you to wear,” said Bart.

Bart’s neck was smooth, his hair thick with dirt and ash. Jaime stroked him again, again, and then he let his hand settle between Bart’s shoulders. Jaime’s fingers fit neatly there, between the ridges of his spine. Jaime rolled his tongue in his mouth and swallowed, dryly.

“Is everybody…?”

“They’re safe,” said Bart. “They’re all safe. Everyone’s safe thanks to you. You saved everyone. The world. Me.”

“Good,” said Jaime. “You owe me.”

Bart laughed and turned his head, just so, to press his lips to Jaime’s cheek. Jaime liked that.

“No way, amigo,” said Bart, his breath warm in Jaime’s ear. “The way I see it, we’re negated, full balance.”

Jaime nodded or tried to anyway. “Clean slate.”

“Nothing to worry about.”

“I really want some pants,” said Jaime.

“Leave that to me,” said Bart, and he slipped his arms around Jaime to lift him from the ash and twisted metal.


End file.
